If you are searching for a YWAM DTS in Spain, you probably already know a little about Youth With A Mission. Maybe a friend did a DTS, or you heard about one at church. This article answers the questions we get most from people who are weighing a school in Spain: what a DTS involves, where you can do one, what it costs and what a normal week looks like. We run the DTS at YWAM Granada, so we will use our school as the example.
What a DTS is
The Discipleship Training School is the first course anyone takes before joining YWAM staff, and most of the people who do one never plan a career in missions. They come to know God better and to find out what He made them for. It usually lasts about five months and has two parts.
The first is a lecture phase of around twelve weeks. You live in community at the base, and most weeks a different speaker teaches one subject: the character of God, hearing His voice, identity, relationships, evangelism, God's heart for the nations. The second part is outreach. The school travels as a team for eight weeks or more to serve local churches and ministries somewhere else.
The DTS is a course of the University of the Nations, YWAM's university. Completing it lets you take further YWAM schools and serve on staff at any YWAM location in the world.
Where you can do a DTS in Spain
YWAM has bases in several Spanish cities, and the schools they run change from year to year. The YWAM website lists the current locations and dates. Each base has its own focus and character, so it is worth asking two or three of them about their next school before you decide.
Our school is in Granada, in Andalusia. The base is in Alfacar, a village ten minutes above the city. Two things make Granada an unusual place for a DTS. It was the last Muslim kingdom in Spain until 1492, and it still has a visible Muslim community, so cross-cultural friendship and ministry start in the streets around you. It is also a large university city, full of students from across Europe and further away.
Our DTS is taught in English and Spanish, so you do not need to speak Spanish to come. Our next schools start on January 25, 2027 and August 30, 2027.
How much a YWAM DTS costs
There is no single price for a YWAM DTS. Every base sets its own fees, and they usually cover accommodation, meals and teaching during the lecture phase, with a separate amount for outreach. Flights are almost never included. Some bases also set different fees depending on the country a student comes from.
For our school in Granada, the simplest way to get an exact figure is to send an inquiry on the DTS site. Someone from our team replies within 48 hours with the fees for your situation. Most of our students did not have the full amount when they applied. They raised support from their church, family and friends, and we have a free fundraising guide to help with that.
What a week looks like
A typical weekday starts with personal time with God and worship together. Mornings are for teaching. Afternoons mix small groups, practical work around the base and ministry in the city: conversations in the plazas, time with children in the parks, serving people on the street with partner churches. Evenings and weekends leave room for rest, friendships and exploring the Sierra Nevada or the coast an hour away.
Who a DTS is for
Our school is for followers of Jesus who are 18 or older. Many students come between school and university, between jobs or after a hard season. Older adults come too, and some YWAM locations run versions of the DTS designed for older adults or families.
If you are not sure yet, the best first step is a conversation. Send us your questions and we will answer honestly, including if another school would suit you better.
Questions people ask
Do I need to speak Spanish to do a DTS in Spain?
Not at YWAM Granada. Our DTS is taught in English and Spanish, and many students arrive speaking only one of the two.
How long is a YWAM DTS?
About five months: around twelve weeks of teaching at the base, then eight weeks or more of outreach in another place.
How much does a DTS in Spain cost?
Each YWAM base sets its own fees. At YWAM Granada we share the exact fees after you send an inquiry, because they depend on your situation. Flights are not included.
Is a DTS accredited?
The DTS is a course of the University of the Nations, YWAM's university. It is the entry course for further YWAM schools and for serving on YWAM staff.
When is the next DTS in Granada?
Our next schools start on January 25, 2027 and August 30, 2027.